More than 20,000 people have been forced to evacuate as a fast-moving wildfire continues to spread across British Columbia, Canada.
The Bald Range wildfire rapidly advanced toward communities surrounding Okanagan Lake, destroying several homes as it expanded.
Authorities ordered the evacuation of the entire community of Summerland, home to around 12,000 residents, as well as approximately 8,000 people in and around nearby Peachland.
The fire grew to an estimated 50 square kilometers within just a few hours.
Erick Thompson, an emergency official with the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen, described the blaze as one of the fastest-growing wildfires in the region’s history.
Thompson and his family were also forced to evacuate as the flames quickly approached the emergency operations center.
(Photo Courtesy: CBC)
